DALLAS, July 30 (UPI) — Abusive mothers, who are taught parenting skills and given emotional support, can improve their parenting skills, two U.S. researchers say.

Ernest Jouriles and Renee McDonald of Southern Methodist University in Dallas say parenting improved in impoverished, neglectful, abusive mothers after home visits, classes and emotional support from therapists.

The study, published in the Journal of Family Psychology, says large improvements in mothers’ parenting were observed in families given instruction and emotional support compared to families that did not receive the services.

Jouriles is professor and chairman of the SMU Psychology Department. McDonald and Rosenfield are associate professors. Corbitt-Shindler is a psychology department doctoral candidate.